This is a blog that will take you through the Rum lifestyles of a fine group of people that enjoy the fun and pleasure of fine rums. We will travel to distilleries, partys, and Rum Events to bring you the Rumstyles of all those we come in contact with.

Bahama Bob's Rumstyles

Thursday, May 11, 2017

There are a lot
of things that come out of a still beside alcohol in the production of
spirits. We hear about some of the bad
booze that are loaded with things like fusel oils, esters, and water. These are the result of sloppy distillation. Without getting to deep into the long chain carbon molecules of organic chemistry, I'll try to explain about these impurities. When to cut the heads from the hearts from the tails determines the quality of the distillate. What are these
impurities that are getting into some of the cheaper spirits out there. Your better quality spirits spend time and
money to get rid of many of these impurities, but you have to be careful,
because some of them also give you the flavors that are enjoyed by the
consumers. All of these impurities are part of a group known as “congeners”.

To the alcohol producingindustry,congenersare substances, other than the ethanol, produced during fermentation. These
substances include small amounts of chemicals such as methanoland other
alcohols, known as fusel alcohols, acetone, acetaldehyde, esters, tannins and aldehydes. Congeners are responsible for most of the tasteand aromaof distilled alcoholic beverages, and contribute
to the taste of non-distilled drinks. These substances contribute to the symptoms of a hangover as well.

Esters get far less attention than they should. Esters are flavor compounds responsible for many of the
characteristic tastes we know very well, like Propyl acetate (Pears), Octyl acetate
(Oranges), Isoamyl acetate (Banana), Ethyl butyrate (Pineapple), Butyl acetate (Apple), Methyl trans-cinnamate (Strawberry) and Ethyl
cinnamate(Cinnamon). The problem with esters is that a little
goes a long way. Most have detection
thresholds measured in parts per billion. Many have an odor detection threshold in
water of 1 part per billion, in comparison, ethanol in air has an odor detection threshold of
about 50 parts per million.

Fuselalcohols or also
sometimes calledfusel oilsare a mixture of
several alcohols, chiefly amyl alcohol produced as a by-product of alcoholic
fermentation. The wordfuselis German for
"bad liquor". A by-product of carbohydrate fermentation to produce ethyl
alcohol. The material varies widely in composition, depending on the fermentation
raw material used. Described as an oily
liquid with a disagreeable odor; 60% boils at 122-138° making it primarily a part of the "heads" that would be discarded. Amyl alcohol
(commercial) obtained by chemical treatment and refining of fusel oil.

There are processes in the production of spirits that address the removal of many of these congeners, esters, and fusel oils, while assuring that some of the more beneficial congeners are left behind. That relate to the temperature that the cut between the heads, the hearts, and the tails are made. and how many times the final product is passes through the still. When all of the impurities are removed or at least to a point of 95% pure ethanol, you have a neutral spirit, or Vodka. To allow some of the flavor to be left in the distillate, how the cuts are made and how many times they are passed through the still is where the skills of the distiller come into play.